


Stay For You

by Valisandre



Series: The Ones We Left Behind [1]
Category: Warcraft (2016), World of Warcraft
Genre: Liontrust Secret Santa 2020, M/M, Shadowlands, author takes creative liberties
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:07:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29291859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valisandre/pseuds/Valisandre
Summary: Khadgar, upon hearing of the rip into the Shadowlands, finally leaves Karazhan in search of the man who showed him everything, including how to love.
Relationships: Khadgar/Anduin Lothar
Series: The Ones We Left Behind [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151183
Comments: 7
Kudos: 13
Collections: Liontrust 2020 Secret Santa





	Stay For You

**Author's Note:**

> I AM SO SORRY THIS IS LATE. 
> 
> This is for the Liontrust Secret Santa 2020 event, prompt was "(SFW only) Khadgar finds Lothar in the Shadowlands"
> 
> This story fought me a lot, and I realized that it was because it wants to be a series. So it's gonna be a series. This is the first part. 
> 
> I hope this is everything you wanted, sorry it's super late <3
> 
> Val

As he made his way through the throng of champions and adventurers, he smiled to himself at how easily he was overlooked. He had traded his traditional armor for a softer linen tunic and pants, not unlike the ones he wore in his youth. Wrapped in a soft blue cloak, no one could see who he was with the hood pulled up, shadowing his face. The thrum of Oribos was almost soothing, despite the reason for everyone being there. He pulled his cloak tighter as he made his way towards the portals above, closer to his destination. 

Medivh had warned him when word had reached them at Karazhan, “Protect your heart, young trust.” but he had to come, he had to know. The rip in the world, opening the way to the Shadowlands, where loved ones and friends had gone before them also ripped open his heart. The what ifs, the maybes and the questions left unanswered lingered in his mind, robbing him of sleep for many nights before he finally gave in and started packing. 

He didn’t take much with him, a bag with some books, his journal, ink and quills. The irony of how much he looked like he had when he had met Lothar was not lost on him. He stopped briefly, quickly sketching in his journal the top of Oribos, of the portals to each area of Shadowlands, and the champions as they made their way through on mounts and in various bright armors and weapons. 

He looked at each of the portals, before making his way towards the one the champions had opened to Bastion. He knew in his heart that’s where he would once again find the man who had saved him, the man who had shown him the world beyond the Kirin Tor and the man that showed him what it was to love, and be loved. 

Once there, he gasped at the golden glows of the grasses surrounding him, the soft winds and how bright and beautiful the sky was, beauty beyond anything he had seen in a very long time, if ever. He took his time, walking along the path, admiring the ascended as well as the champions that traveled there. The animals were just as amazing, and he took his time, cataloging each and every one in his journal. His fingertips were ink stained, but he didn’t mind, he wanted to capture as much of the beauty of this place as he could, never knowing when or if he would ever see it again. 

He stopped and talked to them along the way, learning more about how the path of ascension worked and wondered if Lothar would have followed that path. He was unsure of how he felt about it, knowing that he would lose his memories of his life, of the people he knew, loved and lost. Once at Heroes’ Rest he stopped and took in how things worked, the stewards and their function within Bastion was captivating and they were so pleased to help. 

As he prepared to journey further towards Elysian Hold, a Kyrian stopped him and asked if he wanted him to take him there, to save him the time of walking. Khadgar considered it for a moment, finally agreeing that saving time, and his legs from the walking, would be appreciated. He wasn’t sure he appreciated being scruffed like a kitten, finally understanding the grumbling of the champions who mentioned the Kyrian and their habit of doing such. But he did enjoy the feeling of flight outside of his raven form. 

The hold itself was a beautiful place, it reminded him much of Dalaran, floating in the sky, overlooking the land of Bastion below. He took in the hold, how busy it was with champions and ascended and slowly made his way around to the side, where it was quiet. It was a nice spot, off around the edge, overlooking the waterfall that fell from the hold by some form of magic, he was sure, and the area below. 

He had pulled out his journal and was sketching again, writing down his thoughts of the area and his journey when he heard a chuckle off to his left. He felt his heart jump into his throat when he turned to look in the direction, dropping his quill and laying his journal to the side, his eyes meeting the familiar blue warmth of Lothar’s own. He knew in that moment he had been right, he would never forget the way it felt to have those eyes trained on him, the sly smile as Lothar leaned up against the wall and nodded towards the cast off journal. 

“Things never change, do they bookworm?”

Khadgar stood, taking hesitant steps towards him, his mouth parted slightly and his heart thumping wildly within his chest. 

“Anduin…”

Lothar smiled,ducking his head almost bashfully, looking up through his hair at Khadgar. 

“Yeah, bookworm, it’s me.” 

Khadgar opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, words escaping him, before he finally stepped forward and into Lothar’s arms. It was different, his build was bigger, stockier than when they had last done this, but the feeling was the same. Lothar pulled him close, arms tightening around him breathing deeply and burrowing into the place between his neck and shoulder the same way Khadgar was doing to him. 

“I never thought I’d see you again.” Lothar murmured into his cloak, pulling back just a little so he could get a good look at him. He cupped his face, taking in the way age had changed Khadgar, but could see the echo of the younger man he once was in his eyes. 

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? You’ve seen much.”

Khadgar let out a snort of a laugh, his head falling forward and butting against Lothar’s shoulder. 

“You could say that.” 

He pulled his head back up, his eyes locking with Lothar’s and closed the distance between them, kissing Lothar soft and slow. 

It was chaste, over all too soon, but the emotions they poured into that single kiss was more than he could have ever asked for, seeing him once again. 

“Anduin, why are you still unascended?” Khadgar asked, as they took a seat at the edge of the platform, pressed closed together and looked out towards the waterfall once more. 

Lothar huffed a laugh, looking at his lap before turning back to Khadgar, “I was waiting for you.” 


End file.
